Discussing the Writing Challenges -- November and December 2010

[StormFeather]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

And, ahem, speaking of concerned, it occurs to me that in my ignorance I may be marking some people down as being not SFF because the stories are too clever and I'm missing the point. So I'll apologise now to all of you who will perforce be so tragically eliminated from my short list. But, you know, if you want to tip me off as to what your stories are about...

Could you let the poor unfortunates know who they are, so they have a chance to give some hints . . ?

 

[The Judge]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Hints aren't enough! I've had hints. I am full to bursting with hints of the abtruse, recondite, arcane and just plain baffling kind. Obtuse I may be, acute I am not, but my angle on this is clear. I think.

 

[Ursa major]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

There's no need for a hint from me...









...as I've not yet posted my entry.

 

[StormFeather]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Ah, Judge, I know exactly what you mean. I didn't get many of last months stories. I just figured that I'm just not bright enough - especially when everyone else seemed to have found the hidden meanings and were dropping broad, but confusing hints. it was a tad deflating

Still, the competition this month is really good - new names, great stories.

Another toughie

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Ah, I don't think anyone can out-doofus me! *dodges slap* I don't even understand the stories which don't have hidden meanings half the time!

I've got a few faves so far this month... Including Chris's, Parson's, The Judge's, MGIR's and StormFeather's.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Ah, I don't think anyone can out-doofus me! *dodges slap*

Slap

And caught another one on the rebound.

I think we're going to have to sit you down and make you write some lines.

"I am not a doofus." One hundred times. And no copy and paste, either.

 

[Ursa major]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

There's no need for a hint from me...

...and there still isn't, even though my entry is in.


No hidden meanings this time, and the upfront one should be clear as a bell.

 

[The Judge]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

...and there still isn't, even though my entry is in.


No hidden meanings this time, and the upfront one should be clear as a bell.

What??? The only bell it's ringing in my head is an alarm one signalling that my brain cells are finally deserting me.

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Slap

And caught another one on the rebound.

I think we're going to have to sit you down and make you write some lines.

"I am not a doofus." One hundred times. And no copy and paste, either.

How about 'I am not a doofus all of the time?'

 

[HareBrain]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

After reading all the entries again yesterday, I have a favourite, and it's one I don't think has been mentioned yet in this thread. I'd have a really hard time picking a second choice though.

 

[Ursa major]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

What??? The only bell it's ringing in my head is an alarm one signalling that my brain cells are finally deserting me.

I thought you'd clock the meaning at once.

There are some plays on words, but they're only there to reinforce the story, not to hide anything or even - wait for it - to make some sort of pun.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

How about 'I am not a doofus all of the time?'

How about, "I am as clever as anybody"?

We are all doofuses (doofi?) some of the time. You just admit to it when the situation arises. On the other hand, some of us prefer to preserve a discreet silence when we are baffled, hoping that it will be mistaken for intelligence and total comprehension.

 

[Precise Calibre]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

 

[HoopyFrood]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Hmm, I realise that mine may not seem like SFF unless people actually know what it's all about (may have messed up this month...damn my enthusiasm in trying to get my oh-so-clever thing in).

Anyway, the reference is to a very famous Shakespeare speech, the one that pretty much everyone knows the first line to (although it's the bit towards the end I was more concerned with). Aging may well play a part.

My hidden thing is kinda anti-The-Judge-Technique from the...er...transformation month, I think.

 

[Mouse]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Some of us prefer to preserve a discreet silence when we are baffled, hoping that it will be mistaken for intelligence and total comprehension.

Ooh, ok, I'm going to try that! I'll just nod.

 

[Ursa major]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Anyway, the reference is to a very famous Shakespeare speech....

So it's not from Ant'n'Chek's Three Sisters, then...?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Ooh, ok, I'm going to try that! I'll just nod.

You must nod your head wisely

(I often wonder how that works — how a wise nod differs from an ordinary nod of agreement, or a nod that simply says, "Yes, I am listening" — but of course I would never admit to it.)

 

[Ursa major]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I think it may involved a certain amount of discreet** lip-pursing, Teresa. Oh, and the nodding should lack vigour.








** - I suspect that discrete lip-pursing may be an impossibility or reserved to those with a remarkable degree of control over their facial muscles.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

Ah, yes. I have observed that those who nod wisely in books often nod slowly as well. Stroking one's chin might work as well.

As for hints: my story, in case anyone missed it, is based on the Shakespeare play. However, the play is based on a tale from the Celtic mythological cycle, where Lear (or Leir) is associated with Lyr (or Lir), the god of the sea.

See also the story "The Children of Lir" which involves swans. The Judge won the Challenge with a story about a swan, so maybe I chose the wrong Lyr.

 

[Lenny]

re: Discussing the Writing Challenges -- August & September

I should have mine ready by tomorrow.

It keeps on coming to me as I drift off (not the best of times for an idea to hit...) and as a result I have five or six different versions on my phone, each between one hundred and two hundred words long.

I feared that someone might have already taken my idea (it's quite a simple one), so I looked through the thread - no-one has (at least not obviously. I can't quite tell the subtleties this late at night, especially not the ones that people seem to be weaving into a meagre 75 words these days!). Some good entries so far - crystal haven's in particular cracked me up somewhat.